The return of wavy-haired ‘Big Red’

Raiders rookie Paul McQuistan will start at left guard in Sunday’s game at the Cincinnati Bengals. He replaces Corey Hulsey, who is out with a knee injury. Hulsey was replacing Barry Sims, who’s missed four starts with an abdomen injury.

“Trying to continue to work hard and get in the game plan and not let the guys down,” McQuistan said Wednesday.

McQuistan showed up with wavy hair Wednesday, a noticeable change from the shaved-head look he brought to training camp in late July. He had a shoulder-length mullet when the Raiders drafted him in the third round of April’s draft.

He started the first two games of the season at right guard before poor performance landed him on the bench behind rookie Kevin Boothe.

Since, McQuistan said he’s worked on hand use and an upright stance. It helps he’s back on the left side of the line, like he was at Weber State.

“I’m better than I was in the first two weeks of the season.”

Other notes from the locker room and the start of practice:

Kicker Sebastian Janikowski was kicking away at the far end of the field, showing no sign of back trouble that dogged him for a week.

Wide receiver Jerry Porter wasn’t at practice, making this the third straight week he’s been missing since reporting a hip flexor problem. Raiders coach Art Shell still has no idea how Porter got hurt, because he wasn’t playing in any games.

Defensive end Lance Johnstone said an MRI in his right knee revealed “things in there” that need removal via season–ending surgery. He’s out for this week and will seek a second opinion before hitting the table.

Locker room quote of the day: “Who goes to an Ivy League school to learn how to be a manager of a Holiday Inn?” — Warren Sapp, teasing rookie right tackle Kevin Boothe, who earned a bachelor’s degree in hotel management at Cornell.